Adjusting mechanism for a book stand



March 18, 1958 w. SIMPKINS Y 2,825,858

' ADJUSTING MECHANISM FOR A BOOK STAND Filed March 1, 1956 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 ATTORNEYS.

. March 1958 w. SlMPKlNS Y 2,826,858

ADJUSTING MECHANISM FOR A BOOK STAND Filed March 1, 1956 I 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 FIG-.7.

United States Patent 6 a v Tfl ADJUSTING MECHANISM-FOR-ABOOKSTAND William st: Loii s Stand Company, St. L'oui Missouri 7 a, a

Application March '1, 1956; N6 1568,1894

6 Claims. ((51. 45 8 6) This invention relates generally to improvements;in ansadjustingamechanism for a book: stand, (and more particularly to improved means ina, device of thistype adapted to support large, vheavy and cumbersomebooks such a'st'dictiona'ries, atlases, andother reference works in a manner-which facilitates their-user;

,,It@is-' an importantobject of the: presetinvention to realize-a bool stand having-a plurality of tables that are adapted; to support portions of; a bOOk,- 1ht; tables being inthe center, incwhich case one table'supports the; rela,-,

tivelyrtthick portion, at one'level while theother tablesupports therthinner portion at anotherltavel. v p v Stillanother object is realized by means in connectionwith a stand'of the character described-which causes one table to move vertically in proportionto the'movement of the'othertable when'the weight of aportionor all of the volume is placed on such other table. x

Another; important object is realized by; the provision of-an improved mechanism for supporting the tables on the -Qsta'ndardbf the book stand, and the, relative-arrangemerit and connection of a resilient meanswith the component: parts .1 of the", supporting mechanism, whereby the" resilient means Ftendsto'maintain the tables at -a predetermined position relative ,to' one another. This resilient means2and supporting' mechanism intereonnect the tables such that any portion of a book to, be-consulted willibe supported'and; disposed in-a substantially horizontal plane.

Yet another important object is achieved;by realizing a book stand that-is simple and durable in construcjtion economical to manufacture and automatic in operation,

Still other important advantages. are .obtained -in-that the stand protectsthe cover, pages-and binding of such books and' minimizes wear, booklifer a The foregoing and numeroustother objects-and advantageszofthe inventionwill more clearly appear from the following detailed description of a preferredembodiment, particularly when considered in connection-with the ac-' companying'drawings, inwhich: t p

Fig. 1 is afrontelevational view ofthe book stand;

and hence is conducive -to"longer' 2,826,858 l atentetl Mar. 18, 1958 2 1 Fig? 4-is a erbss seetienn view'-"of the book standas seen along line 4-4 of Fig. 2, thedo'ttjed'liriesshowing an adjusted position of necemponent a'rtsy f -Fig'n5 is aview' of theliook stand; p'a'rtly in cro'ss sctioii, as seen along"line-5'5*of Fig. 45 n Fig. 6 is a view, partly in cross sectionjas seen a'lb'iig lin'e 6 6 ofFig. 2-11 p p Fig.7 is anenlarged viewg parfly'in cro'ss section' a's see'n a'lo'ng- 1ine-7-7 of Fig: 3, and- I a Fig. 8 is a fragmentary view in cross sectionlas' seeh along-line-8-8 of Fig;=7:-

t- Referring now by 'characters of refer'ence to'the drawirigs,k the book stand includes a base? structure of -H"-- shaped? configuration; generally" indicated: at 10; having laterallyi' extendirigleg' portions 11* and a bridging-inter m'ediate' portion 12: A"- swivel'ed rolleraassehrblya 13 is connected to and i-carried byr each end of the leg portions 11, the roller assemblies 13 being adaptedito support the boo'lestand on" a subjacent-sur-face such as afloor'as' is shownin Figs. l an'dz. a ,t Extending: upwardly-{from the medial portionl of intermediatefbase portion12 is ;atu-bula'r standardllh ASecondicooperating; standardmember ,15istelescopically' received; in the uppen end ofgstarrdard-1l4; and is adapted to. be xed a nt-adjus d xten wm Q y a cl p member 16 carried byflstandardg '14: A= collar 17 is, dis? posed about standard member 15 and-ismormally seated on the top of standard 14; Asecond'clamping member 18 is-carried by: collarll and-dsutilized-tofix collar1'7' an rd-m sr. 7. 1;. I a it; 1 .t s The standard member 15 is'adjusted telescopically with e e tandard 1 tqre ez a t-.Ih;b k';a to thedesired heightg this procedure-being accomplished with clamping 1 means; 16 and 18; in; an; unloosened con: dit r h S and is d usted- 0 he de d. fl ii; the collar 17 is brought down to the top ofistandard 14 V and clamping means 18 issecured-to standar d m ember' land 2;

Fig. 2- is afragmentary, side elevational view of the book stand shown in Fig. 1; v l,

1 Fig. 3'is a top plan view of thebook stand shown in 15; thus fixing the Sta d tt d sire he ht Y tns mit-t ting. a swiveling movement, Clamping-means 16; may then be utilized'to fixstandardmnrber I S and the parts carried thereby in adesired swiveled position.

, A frame member zll including a lowermostneck por tion 21 is carriedby andard memberli thefnclc por}, tion 2'1'being securedby b ol t'221'y I Theffrarriefr'nember 2?! is; inclined at an anglefro'm'tlie' verticabas is clearly showninFi'g;2. U v

.Secured by pivot means to frame memberfllisa p'air of arms 23 and'24 arrange d"in s'pacedfpar'allelrelation; The a'rm 23' is connec'te'dtoframememlier 26f by pivot pin 25; best shown in Fig; 4', while'arrn 24f is connected to frame member 20 by pivot pin26; The pivot pinsil'i' and 26 maintain arms 23-and24in spacedfr'el'a'tion to frame member 20 forreasons which will later appearl Under normal conditio'ns'of usage when the s'ta'r'idis fiot being utilized to support a book; the'arms 23fa'nd'2'4' jemaintained in a horizontal-positionas is shown inFrg's';

A U-shaped cha'nnelmember' constituting a p'ost is pivotally attached to Qneendof eacharm 23: and 24, and a similar post 30 is pivotally connected to theiop' posite end of-each of arms 23 and 24. Asismore clearly shown in'F-ig. 6, the arms: 23 and 24arerlocated within the U-shaped channel of posts'27 and 30; and are a't tached by hinge pins 31. t a V 'i A tension'spring 32 is located betwe'enarms23 and 24 and frame member 20, one end of spring 32 being'fixedto one end of arm 23 at the left of pivot pin 25 (Figs. 1 and4), while the opposite end of spring 32 is attached to one end of arm 24 at the right hand side of pivot pin 26. A second tension spring 33 is located on the opposite side of arms 23 and 24, the spring 33 having one end attached to arm 23 at the right hand side of pivot pin 25 and the other end attached to arm 24 at the left hand side of pivot pin 26. Thus it is seen that springs 32 and 33 are located on opposite sides of arms 23 and 24 and are diagonally related.

A housing 34 is secured to frame member 20 and serves to enclose the supporting mechanism described above the housing being open at the top to permit movement of posts 27 and 30.

Each of posts 27 and 30 serve to support a table as sembly. Because the table assemblies are identical in structure, a detailed description of one will suffice for the other.

For example, post 27 is riveted to plate member 35 (Figs.;7 and 8) which includes upstanding side flanges 36. Supported by flanges 36 are a plurality of rollers 37 which are disposed outwardly of plate member 35. The rollers 37 engage a track formed by inturned flanges 38 of a second plate member 40. A table 41 is fixed to the second plate member 40, and serves to support a book or a portion thereof.

From the above description of the table assemblies, it is seen that tables 41 may be moved toward and away from each other depending upon the size of the reference books supported on the tables. During the adjustment of tables 41, the track formed by second plate member 40 engages the rollers 37. After the tables 41 are moved to the desired position they maybe fixed in such position by a clamping means which consists of a screw element 42 threadedly received by plate member 35. Upon tightening of screw element 42, the upper end of screw element 42 engages second plate member 40, and hence urges the rollers 37 tightly against the inturned flange portions 38. I

A stop member 43 is dependingly carried by each of tables 41, the stop members43 preventing accidental or unintentional removal of the tables from the table assemblies. The stop member 43 consists of a threaded knob that abuts the end of plate member 35 to realize this result. Of course, the threaded knob may be removed to permit removal of the table 41.

When the book stand is utilized for supporting a reference book, one portion of the book is placed on one table 41 and the other book portion on the other table 41. If one such book portion is thicker and hence heavier, the weight will move the table 41 and the post supporting such book portion downwardly. In such case, the other table is moved upwardly in like proportion, as is suggested by the dotted lines in Fig. 4. When the tables are disposed as described above and indicated in Fig. 4, the effective length of spring 32 will be shortened and hence the tensional force is lessened, while the efiective length of spring 33 is lengthened and the tensional force is increased. The resultant force of springs 32-33 on arms 2324 tends to restore the arms 23 and 24 to the horizontal position shown in fulllines in Fig.4, and hence tends to restore the tables 41 to the same plane. Because springs 32 and 33 are located on opposite sides of arms23 and 24, there is not any physical interference as a result of the diagonal relation of such springs.

Although the invention has been described by making detailed reference to a single preferred embodiment, such detail is to be understood in an instructive, rather than in any restrictive sense, may variants being possible within the scope of the claimshereunto appended.

I claim as my invention:

l. A book stand comprising a base, a stand ard supportedby said base, a frame member carried by said standard, a pair of arms arranged in spaced parallel relation, means pivotally connecting the arms to said frame member, a pair of tables for supporting a book, a pair of posts each connected to one of said tables, one of said posts being hingedly connected to each of said arms at one side of said pivot means, and the other post being hingedly connected to each of the arms at the other side of such pivot means, and resilient means connected to and between said arms tending to maintain said tables in a predetermined position relative to one another.

2. A book stand comprising a base, a standard sup ported by said base, a frame member carried by said standard, a pair of arms arranged in spaced, parallel relation, means pivotally connecting a medial portion of each arm to said, frame member, a pair of tables for supporting a book, a pair of posts each connected to one of said tables, one of said posts being hingedly connected to each of said arms on one side of said pivot means, the other post being hingedly connected to each arm on the opposite side of said pivot means, and spring means diagonally inter-connecting said arms and arranged between said pivot means so as to tend to maintain said tables in a predetermined position relative to one another.

3. A book stand comprising a base, a standard supported by said base, a frame member carried by said standard, a pair of arms arranged in spaced, parallel relation, pivot pins connecting a medial portion of said arms to said frame members, said pins maintaining said arms in spaced relation to said frame member, a pair of tables for supporting a book, a pair of posts each connected to one of said tables, one of said posts being hingedly connected to each of-said arms at one side of said pivot pins, and the other post being hingedly connected to each of the arms at the other side of such pins, a first tension spring located between said arms and frame member, said first spring being attached to one arm at one side, of its pivot pin and attached to the other arm at the other side of its pivot pin, and a second tension spring located on the opposite side of said arms, said second spring being attached to the respective arms at opposite sides of their pivot pins from the first said spring, said springs diagonally interconnecting said arms, and arranged in crossed diagonal relation and tending to maintain said tables in a predetermined position relative to one another.

4. A book stand comprising a base, a standard supported by said base, a pair of post elements, means mounting said post elements on said standard and permitting relative vertical adjustment of said post elements, a pair of table elements each supported by one of said post elements, a track means carried by one of said elements and a track following means carried by the other said element, said track and track-following means permitting relative movement of said table elements toward and away fromeach other, and fastening means selectively retaining said table element in adjusted positions.

5. A bookstand comprising a base, a standard supported by said base, a pair of post elements, means mounting said post elements on said standard and permitting relative vertical adjustment, a plate element fastened to each post, a pair of tables each supported by one of said plate elements, a track means carried by one of. said elements, a track following means carried by the other said element and adapted to engage said track means, the track and track-following means permitting relative movement of said table elements toward and away from each other. and fastening means between said plate elements and said table elements for selectively retaining said table elements in adjusted positions. i

6. A book stand comprising a base, a standard supported by said base, a pair of posts, means mounting said posts on said standard and permitting relative vertical adjustment, a plate element fastened to each post, the pair of tables each supported by one of said plate elements, depending track members carried by each table, said track members having inturned portions, rollers carried by each plate element and adapted to be located operatively in said track members and located over said i'n'turiied portions, the track elements and cooperating rollers permitting relative movement of said tables toward and away from each other, and a screw element carried by 5 each of said plate elements, said sc'rew elements selectively and operatively engaging the table so as to force said rollerslagainst said inturned track portions, the screw elements constituting fastening means between said plate elements and said tables for selectively retaining said 10 tables in adjusted positions.

6 References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Clark July 23, 1895 Brownell Dec'. 10, 1895 Wicks Aug. 11, 1896 Flanagan a Mar. 26, 1912 Self a Oct. 28, 1941 Self Oct. 28, 1941 

